Large valves often have a substantial sized wheel that is turned to open or close the valve. Sometimes, these valves are so hard to turn that a wrench is needed to turn them. Conventionally, an adjustable pipe wrench, often called a Stillson wrench, is used to turn the wheel operators of large valves. In the alternative, a fixed jaw wrench is often used to turn the wheel operators of large valves.
When using a conventional pipe wrench, having either fixed or adjustable jaws, to open or close a wheeled valve operator, a series of repeated actions are necessary: engage the wrench on the perimeter of the wheel, turn the wheel in either the clockwise or counterclockwise direction until further movement of the wrench handle is obstructed, lift the wrench off the wheel, return the wrench to the point of origin and repeat the same series of actions. This is repeated until the valve reaches the open or closed position or it loosens up enough to turn the wheel without the wrench.
It is known in the prior art to provide wrenches having pivoted handles for changing the mechanical advantage of the wrench as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 964,067; 1,080,121; 1,302,197; 6,234,049 and 6,877,404. A close analysis of these patents reveals that prior art wrenches that have the ability to grasp or grapple with a wheel operator pivot the handle in the wrong direction. In addition, of some relevance are U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,315,447; 5,520,210 and 6,145,416.